Bhopal, Aug 30 (IANS): Days after Madhya Pradesh Governor Mangubhai Patel administered the oath of office as minister to three legislators, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday allocated portfolios to the newly appointed ministers. 

Rajendra Shukla, a four-time MLA from Rewa, has been given two key departments – Public Relations and Public Health Engineering Department.

Shukla, who was a two-time former minister in the previous tenure of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, was heading the Public Relations department.

Gaurishankar Bisen, a seven-time legislator from Balaghat in the Mahakoshal region, has been alloted the Narmada Valley Development Authority.

He is also the chairman of the MP Backward Class Commission. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on August 26 expanded his Cabinet by inducting three BJP MLAs as ministers just months ahead of the State Assembly polls to be held by the end of the year.

Rahul Lodhi, the nephew of former chief minister Uma Bharti and first time MLA, who has been inducted as state minister. He has been given Cottage and Village Industries department.

Bisen (71) and Lodhi (46) belong to the Other Backward Class (OBC) community, which makes up more than 45 per cent of the population of Madhya Pradesh.

Shukla (59) has established himself as a key Brahmin BJP leader in Vindhya region, where the BJP had won 24 out of the total 30 assembly seats in the 2018 elections.

There are now 34 members in CM Chouhan's cabinet.